Unleash the Power of The Press

Company News

Your Web site: A 24/7/365 PR Agent…if you use it right.

The Web can be your full-time, round the clock PR agent. If you’re not driving traffic to that site, it’s the proverbial tree falling with nobody to hear it: you’re not making any noise.

There are many affordable ways to drive traffic to your Web site, such as:

  • Blogs – A great place for keyword rich content on your areas of expertise to drive search engine traffic to your site.
  • Ezine or e-newsletters – whether it’s weekly, monthly or even quarterly, by sending out an e-newsletter to existing or potential customers with a link back to your Web site, you can get a substantial amount of traffic.
  • News room – create a newsroom on your Web site to post your press releases. Again, keyword rich content about your area of expertise can only help draw traffic.
  • Press release online distribution sites – PR Web and other online distribution sites give you the opportunity to link back to your site. Because sites like this have so many sites linked to it, your press releases do very well in the search engines.
  • Article sites – just like online distribution sites, article sites give you a chance to post articles and link back to your site. Just like blogs, you can include keyword heavy content to improve your search engine rankings.
  • Reciprocal links – by having other Web sites post a link to your site on their Web site, you can increase traffic to your site and improve your search engine rankings.
  • E-mail signatures – always use an e-mail signature that includes your Web site. You’d be surprised how much traffic this can draw from the curious people you correspond with.

The difference between having a Web site and a Web presence is traffic. Unfortunately, many businesses think that just by building a Web site, the people will come. That only happens in the movies. If you want them to come to your Web site, you’ve got to make it easy for visitors to get there. By following some or all of the above steps, you can be the designated driver.

Your Web site: A 24/7/365 PR Agent…if you use it right.Read More

Refuse to Participate in the Recession

 

You can either let the economy define your business or you can create your own path!

Consider FREE news coverage as one of your first opportunities.  But what is news?  How do you package it?  Who do you send it to?

Let’s start with what are the hot buttons for real news that will generate real coverage. What is a feature story in the Local Daily Tribune worth? The Nearby Big City Business Journal?  The Weekly Chronicle?  Thousands or more.

This “editor approved” information is said to have 10 times the impact of traditional, paid advertising.  Public relations helps “position” your company as the “top of the mind” choice and “innovator” in your field.  This brand name recognition and expert position will pave the way for new and expanded business.

In effect, the media blows your horn for you and, if well orchestrated, you can name the tune.

  • Milestones
    Example – 1,000th giddy customers, 2,000 handshakes

  • Anniversary
    Example – # of years in business

  • Gold Standard Student
    Example – Work with the local high school to recognize exceptional students and give them recognition.

  • Community involvement
    Example – Take a bow when donating either money or services.

  • New key staff or additional training or promotion
    Example – Announce a new manager, seminar attendance, new title.

  • New technologies
    Example – Announce new software breakthrough, etc.

  • Trends
    Example – How is this impacting modern day life.

  • Human interest
    Example – Unusual stories of hope, inspiration, humor.

  • Useful tips
    Example – How can someone better use your service/product.

  • Special day or event
    Example – Create your own celebration day.

Your local daily newspaper may print the article this week. Your community weekly may run it next week.  The regional business journal may not have space for it until next month.  Yet, the cumulative effect is “time released” visibility. 

News releases are often the catalyst for bigger, feature stories.

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